What’s your zodiac sign? If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would it be? What’s your go-to karaoke song?
These are all topics I’d be happy to discuss with my friends at a bar, or even with my colleagues during a lunch break. But there’s a time and a place for asking creative questions, and these conversation starters don't really seem relevant for a job interview.
Redditors have been discussing the wildest and most confusing questions they’ve ever been asked by hiring managers, so we’ve gathered their most amusing replies below. Enjoy scrolling through these questions that made applicants hope for a rejection email, and keep reading to find a conversation with Adam Bennett, Senior Career Consultant at Career Prepare!
#1
"How good of a liar are you?"
"Uh... I'm an honest person. Not a great liar."
"Well, we need you to be able to sell a product that you haven't used before."
"So you believed me when I said I was a bad liar?".
"Uh... I'm an honest person. Not a great liar."
"Well, we need you to be able to sell a product that you haven't used before."
"So you believed me when I said I was a bad liar?".
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60points
#2
Interviewer: "Explain the internet to me like I am a 5 year old"
Me:".....okay so like you want me to explain what it is or be technical on how it works"
Interviewer: "Technical on how it works"
Me: "The internet is a very wonderful and dangerous place...think of it like a spider web, but each web point is a connection to a person or place with information....and *Interviewer interrupts me while I am speaking*"
Interviewer: "We were going more for technical like explaining each layer of the protocols and getting into detail on going to external IP, then internal IP, then ports and how each port has different communication, like 80 is http, 443 is https, but thank you for answering."
Me: "Forsure, I would be able to explain that to a 5 year old and they would comprehend it because my nepehew just learned to write his name".
Me:".....okay so like you want me to explain what it is or be technical on how it works"
Interviewer: "Technical on how it works"
Me: "The internet is a very wonderful and dangerous place...think of it like a spider web, but each web point is a connection to a person or place with information....and *Interviewer interrupts me while I am speaking*"
Interviewer: "We were going more for technical like explaining each layer of the protocols and getting into detail on going to external IP, then internal IP, then ports and how each port has different communication, like 80 is http, 443 is https, but thank you for answering."
Me: "Forsure, I would be able to explain that to a 5 year old and they would comprehend it because my nepehew just learned to write his name".
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53points
#3
"What are your work-related hobbies?"
Nah, man. Work ends at 5. I don't want to do hobbies that relate to that after work.
Nah, man. Work ends at 5. I don't want to do hobbies that relate to that after work.
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50points
To learn more about the strange questions that might come up during a job interview, we got in touch with Adam Bennett, Senior Career Consultant at Career Prepare. He was kind enough to have a conversation with Bored Panda and discuss the best way to navigate these questions.
"These are what I call curveball questions," Adam shared. "They are not common in interviews but do pop up every now and again, particularly in smaller companies/start-ups, where the interview guidelines tend to be a bit looser!"
#4
Not a job interview, but a college admissions interview - I am dead serious. "You are not a minority in any way. How has this hindered your life experience so far?" How the f**k am I supposed to answer that??
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49points
#5
One of my friend used ot work in finance and was applying for a job in the video game industry.
Interviewer: "so you were working in finance???"
friend: "yes. I know it's a 180° turn but..."
I:"Well I'd even say 360°!"
f: "Well no, 360° I'd be back where I was".
Interviewer: "so you were working in finance???"
friend: "yes. I know it's a 180° turn but..."
I:"Well I'd even say 360°!"
f: "Well no, 360° I'd be back where I was".
45points
"It is important to understand that when you are asked these questions, the interviewer is trying to see how you respond to something you can't have prepared for and see how you react when put on the spot," the career expert says. "Because they are rare, and you can never predict what question would be asked here, there is no point worrying about these when preparing for the interview. However, you can think about how you would respond to a curveball question in the interview."
#6
"Since you are a redhead, how do you control your temper?" Him
"I don't have a temper." Me
"Yes, you do. All redheads do." Him
"You're short, how will you get stuff off the top shelf for a customer?" Him
"Uh......" Me
He was so obnoxious.
"I don't have a temper." Me
"Yes, you do. All redheads do." Him
"You're short, how will you get stuff off the top shelf for a customer?" Him
"Uh......" Me
He was so obnoxious.
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42points
Adam shared some valuable advice for dealing with curveballs during interviews. "Take a deep breath and stay calm. Don't aim for perfection, perfect answers very rarely happen here - it is about piecing together the best answer you can in the moment."
He also noted that, if quick thinking is not a skill needed for the role, you can even ask for some time to think. "In many roles, the ability to come across as thoughtful and well considered is a strength."
Finally, Adam recommends staying positive, no matter what the question is. "Don't fall into the trap of being negative about others and, even less so, negative about yourself!"
#8
"If you were a tree what kind of tree would you be?"
I was already done with the interview. my answer:
"The one that's in the part of the park where no dogs are allowed and I can't get p*ssed on".
I was already done with the interview. my answer:
"The one that's in the part of the park where no dogs are allowed and I can't get p*ssed on".
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40points
#9
"At your age are you sure that you can relate to our younger employees and customers?"
I resisted the temptation to inform the fool that he hadn't just stepped over the line, when it comes to age discrimination, but had taken a flying leap past it.
I resisted the temptation to inform the fool that he hadn't just stepped over the line, when it comes to age discrimination, but had taken a flying leap past it.
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38points
#10
Interviewer: So, if you had vacation planned and we told you two weeks before that you can't take it because we had to bump a release through no fault of your own. What is your response?
Me: If it is a "mental health day" not a problem. If I have airplane tickets, rooms, etc booked. I expect the company to pay for my losses.
*Room went silent*
Question was asked again later on from a slightly differently. I gave the exact same answer. It was at that point I realized I wouldn't accept or get that job. As that was not the answer they wanted. They wanted me to happily burn my money for their failure.
Me: If it is a "mental health day" not a problem. If I have airplane tickets, rooms, etc booked. I expect the company to pay for my losses.
*Room went silent*
Question was asked again later on from a slightly differently. I gave the exact same answer. It was at that point I realized I wouldn't accept or get that job. As that was not the answer they wanted. They wanted me to happily burn my money for their failure.
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38points
#11
For a coffee company: What do you know about our product and why do you want to work for us?
You make instant coffee. I drink coffee. I need money.
You make instant coffee. I drink coffee. I need money.
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33points
#12
I was once asked if I was a Democrat or a Republican. I don't think employers should be able to ask that.
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33points
#13
"Why do you want to work at McDonalds?"
No one wants to work at Mcdonalds, it's the last option out there usually.
No one wants to work at Mcdonalds, it's the last option out there usually.
32points
#14
OK, so I’m old enough and lived in the Deep South (USA) long enough that this might not have been that uncommon in the day.
I was in my last semester of college and interviewing for my first professional job (IT). The interview process was going smoothly, and I felt pretty positive about the company and the role. I got to the assistant director of the department, and he was the textbook old Southern gentleman. He was asking me a series of questions about my fit for the role and getting to know me when, out of the blue, he asked “Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior?”.
I wanted (and got) the job, so without missing a beat, I said of course. We never spoke about it again. I’m still an atheist.
I was in my last semester of college and interviewing for my first professional job (IT). The interview process was going smoothly, and I felt pretty positive about the company and the role. I got to the assistant director of the department, and he was the textbook old Southern gentleman. He was asking me a series of questions about my fit for the role and getting to know me when, out of the blue, he asked “Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior?”.
I wanted (and got) the job, so without missing a beat, I said of course. We never spoke about it again. I’m still an atheist.
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32points
#15
I was interviewing for a reporting job at a community paper in Sedona, AZ.
"What is your best 'Sedona moment?'"
I'm not sure I know what you mean....
"You know...that moment when something weirdly unexpected and unexplained happens to you because you're in Sedona. Like, one time I went out to garage sales on a Saturday, and as I left the house, I thought to myself 'I could use a hammock.' And then the first place I went had this great hammock for sale. It was meant to be. You know, a Sedona moment."
I got the job, worked there a year. Weird place.
"What is your best 'Sedona moment?'"
I'm not sure I know what you mean....
"You know...that moment when something weirdly unexpected and unexplained happens to you because you're in Sedona. Like, one time I went out to garage sales on a Saturday, and as I left the house, I thought to myself 'I could use a hammock.' And then the first place I went had this great hammock for sale. It was meant to be. You know, a Sedona moment."
I got the job, worked there a year. Weird place.
31points
#16
"And what church do you attend?"
"Oh, actually I'm not religious."
"Well I think we've got everything we need to know, thanks for coming by.".
"Oh, actually I'm not religious."
"Well I think we've got everything we need to know, thanks for coming by.".
31points
#17
For a job at a smoothie place I was asked what i would do if a customer went to leave and it was raining outside.
Did they expect me to walk them to their car with an umbrella? I still don't know how i was supposed to answer that one...
Did they expect me to walk them to their car with an umbrella? I still don't know how i was supposed to answer that one...
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31points
#18
“How do you think out of the box?” I was really young and came from a non-American family so I had never heard of that quote before. I asked the interviewer who was an HR manager to explain what it meant. And he just repeated the question. I said to him I don’t know this term, “Out of the box.” Then he looked upset at me. Thinking back 20 years later, he should have said it means how do you think up new ways to tackle problems. Terrible interviewer and terrible Hr manager.
31points
#19
1) "So I saw you reading before I went up to you, why are you reading? Don't normal people your age play on thier phone before an interview?"
2) "it says here you are a psychology major. Are you crazy? I heard only people with problems become psychology majors." I was tempted to walk out immediately after hearing that, but I needed the job.
2) "it says here you are a psychology major. Are you crazy? I heard only people with problems become psychology majors." I was tempted to walk out immediately after hearing that, but I needed the job.
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30points
